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AUTHENTIC NARRATIVE 



OF THE 



DEATH 

OF 



LORD NELSON: 

COMPRISING 

SEVERAL IXTERESTING CIRCUMSTANCES TRECEDING, 
ATTENDING, AND SUBSEQUENT TO, THAT EVENT ; 

TOGETHER WITH 

THE PROFESSIONAL RECORD 

OF iiis lordship's fatal wound. 



By WILLIAM l^EATTY, M.D. 

F.R.S. F.L.S. &C.&C. 
Member of the Royal Colleges of Physicians of London and Edinburgh ; Physician 
Extraordinary to His Majesty for Scotland; late Physician of the Clianuel Fleet, 
and Physician of Greenwich Hospital. 



THIRD EDITION, 

WITH ADDITIONS, NOTES, &C. 



LONDON : 

PUBLISHED BY W. MASON, 

PICKETT-STRl^rT, STRAND. 

1825. 



> > , > > 









2>0lob 



t. white, printer, 
johitson's court, fleet street. 



• •••••• 

• • • • •• 
••• •••• • 



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a 



PREFACE 

TO THE THIRD EDITION. 



In consequence of the various quotations 
from^ and allusions to the contents of the fol- 
lowing pages^ which have appeared in some 
recent publications on the Naval History of 
this country^ the Author feels called upon to 
publish a new Edition thereof and has availed 
himself of the opportunity to subjoin Notes in 
reference to some animadversions set forth in 
one of the works above adverted to^ on a par- 
ticular passage of this Narrative, which was 
originally published soon after the memo- 
rable Battle off' Trafalgar. It contains 
an recount of the most interesting incidents 
/ liOhich occurred on board the Victory^ bearing 
the flag of the Commander in Chief \ from the 
time of her sailing from England, in the 
month of September, till the day of battle 
inclusively ; with a detail of. the particulars 
of Lord 1!^elson's Death, the mode adopted 



IV 



for presei'ving His Lordship's Remains 
during the subsequent tedious passage of the 
Victory to England^ and the actual condition 
of the Body whefiit was deposited in Greenwich 
Hospital, This brief statement of facts and 
incidents was deemed at that epoch a seasonable 
though an inconsiderable tribute of respect to 
the memory of the departed Hero^ as well as 
an important professional document which the 
British Nation had a positive right to expect 
from the medical officer who had the melancholy 
honour of being his chief professional at- 
tendant on that responsible occasion: and 
is presumed to be not unappropriately con- 
cluded by observations on the state of His 
Lordship's health for some time previous to 
his fall ; with his habits of Ife, and other in- 
dications conveying a strong inference that few 
men had a greater prospect of attaining old 
age, a conclusion widely at variance mth the 
opinion generally entertained on that subject. 



Royal Infirmary, Greenwich Hospital, 
^Ist October, 1824. 



NARRATIVE. 



Lord Nelson sailed from St. Helens 
in the Victory, with the Euryalus fri- 
gate, on the morning of the 15th of Sep- 
tember 1805, to take the command of 
the British Fleet cruizing before Cadiz. 
On the 18th he appeared off Plymouth; 
where he was joined by his Majesty's ships 
Thunder and Ajax, with which he pro- 
ceeded for his destined station. On the 
20th he communicated by private signal 
with the squadron under the command 
of Rear- Admiral Stirling, which passed 
within a few miles of the Victory; and 
the same day at noon, spoke his Majesty's 
ship Le Decade, bearing the flag of Rear- 

B 



2 

Admiral Sir Richaud Bickerton, then 
on his return to England. 

Some bad weather and adverse winds 
were experienced by the Victory in cross- 
ing the Bay of Biscay, and on the 27th 
Cape St. Vincent was seen. Lord Nelson 
had dispatched the Euryalus ahead on the 
preceding day, to acquaint Admiral Col- 
LiNGwooD with his approach; and to di- 
rect that no salute should take place, nor 
any pubhc compliments be paid to his flag, 
on his assuming the command, in order 
that the Enemy might be kept ignorant 
of a reinforcement being received by the 
British Fleet. In the evening of the 28th, 
the Victory joined the Fleet ; now con- 
sisting of twenty-seven ships of the line, 
including the Victory, Ajax, and Thun- 
derer : the city of Cadiz was seen distant 
about fifteen miles, with the Combined 
Fleets at anchor ; and Admiral Louis, with 
five or six ships under his command, close 
in shore, watching the motions of the 
Enemy. 



On the 29th, prompt and decisive 
measures were adopted to prevent the 
Enemy from receiving any supplies of 
provisions by sea, which His Lordship 
was informed they were very much dis- 
tressed for : cruizers were stationed off the 
Capes St. Vincent, St. Mary's, and Tra- 
falgar; and the frigates Euryalus and 
Hydra were ordered to keep off the en- 
trance of Cadiz. His Lordship now 
retired with the Fleet to the vicinity of 
Cape St. Mary's, about fifty or sixty miles 
westward of Cadiz ; keeping up a con- 
stant communication with the frigates in 
shore, by means of three or four ships of 
the line placed at convenient intervals for 
distinguishing the signals of each other. 
This distance from the Enemy's port was 
preserved by His Lordship, to prevent 
them from being speedily acquainted with 
the force of the Fleet under his command ; 
and that he might avoid the necessity of 
bearing up in bad weather, and running 
with the Fleet through the Straits of 



Gibraltar when the westerly gales prevail- 
ed : as the inconvenience of beino; forced 
into the Mediterranean, had been felt by 
former Commanders in Chief ; and would 
now have afforded a favourable opportu- 
nity to the Enemy of effecting their escape 
from Cadiz, or at all events have rendered 
their obtaining supplies less difficult. 

On the 1st of October Admiral Louis 
joined the Fleet, with a part of his squa- 
dron (the CanopuSj Spencer, and Tigre), 
from before Cadiz ; and departed the next 
day wdth those ships, the Queen, and the 
Zealous, for Gibraltar, to procure a supply 
of provisions, stores, and water, which they 
were much in want of. On the 4th he 
rejoined with his squadron ; having re- 
ceived intelligence from the Euryalus by 
telegraph, that the French ships in Cadiz 
were embarking their troops, and prepar- 
ing to sail. Lord Nelson however con- 
ceived this to be merely intended as a 
stratagem to draw him nearer to Cadiz, 
for the purpose of obtaining an accurate 



5 



knowledge of his force ; and therefore di- 
rected Admiral Louis to proceed in t|ie 
execution of the orders before delivered to 
him. 

Between the 7th and the 13th, His 
Lordship was reinforced by the Royal 
Sovereign, Bellisle, Defiance, Agamemnon, 
and Africa, from England, and the Le- 
viathan from Gibraltar. The Agamem- 
non, Sir Edward Berry, joined on the 
13th ; ^ with intelligence that she had been 
chased on the coast of Portugal a few days 
before by an Enemy's squadron, consisting 
of six sail of the line. 

On the 13tliin the evening, Sir Robert 
Calder, in his Majesty's ship the Prince 

^ By this ship His Lordship received some news- 
papers from England, one of which contained a para- 
graph stating that General Mack was about to be 
appointed to the command of the Austrian armies in 
Germany. On reading this, His Lordship made the 
following observation : " I know General Mack too 
well. He sold the King of Naples ; and if he be now 
entrusted with an important command, he will certainly 
betray the Austrian monarchy." 



6 

of Wales, parted company with the Fleet, 
ou his return to England. His departure 
Lord Nelson had some days before 
evinced an anxious wish to procrastinate, 
and was heard that very day to declare 
his firm belief that the Combined Fleets 
would be at sea in the course of ten days 
or a fortnight. ^ 

On the 18th the Donegal, Captain 
Malcolm, left the Fleet for Gibraltar. 
On the 19th his Majesty's ships the Co- 
lossus, Mars, Defence, and Agamemnon, 
formed the cordon of communication with 
the frigates in shore: the Fleet was lying to. 
About half past nine in the morning, the 

^ Captain Hardy left England in a bad state of 
health, with which he had been afflicted during the 
last twelve months ; but was now in a progressive state 
of amendment. Lord Nelson asked the Surgeon this 
day, *' how long he thought it might be before Captain 
Hardy's perfect recovery;" and on the Surgeon's 
answering that '' he hoped not more than a fortnight 
— " Ah !" replied His Lordship, ** before a fortnight 
the Enemy will be at sea, the business will be done, 
and we shall be looking out for England." 



MarSj being one of the ships nearest to 
the Fleet, repeated the signal from the 
ships further in shore, that " the Enemy 
were coming out of port/' Lord Nelson 
immediately ordered the general signal to 
be made, with two guns, for a chace in the 
south-east quarter. The wind was now 
very light ; and the breezes partial, mostly 
from the south-south-west. The Fleet made 
all possible sail ; and about two o'clock 
the Colossus and Mars repeated signals 
from the ships in shore, communicating 
the welcome intelligence of '' the Enemy 
being at sea.'' This cheered the minds ol 
all on board, with the prospect of realiz- 
ing those hopes of meeting the Enemy 
which had been so long and so sanguinely 
entertained. It was well known to His 
Lordship, that all the Enemy's ships had 
the iron hoops on their masts painted 
black ; whereas the British ships, with the 
exception of the Bellisle and Polyphemus, 
had theirs painted yellow : and as he con- 
sidered that this would serve for a ver}^ 



8 

good mark of distinction in the heat of 
battle, he made known this circumstance 
to the Fleet, and accordingly ordered the 
Bellisle and Polyphemus to paint their 
hoops yellow; but the evening being far 
advanced when the signal was made to 
them for this purpose. His Lordship 
fearing that it might not be distinctly un- 
derstood, sent the Entreprenante cutter to 
them to communicate the order. 

During the night the Fleet continued 
steering to the south-east under all sail, in 
expectation of seeing the Enemy ; and at 
day-break on the 20th found itself in the 
entrance of the Straits of Gibraltar, but 
nothing of the Enemy to be discovered. 
The Fleet now wore, and made sail to the 
north-west; and at seven in the morning 
the Phoebe was seen making signals for 
^Vthe Enemy bearing north.'' At eight 
o'clock the Victory hove to ; and Admiral 
CoLLiNGWOOD, with the Captains of the 
Mars, Colossus, and Defence, came on 
board, to receive instructions from His 



9 

Lordship: at eleven minutes past nine 
they returned to their respective ships, and 
the Fleet made sail again to the northvi^ard. 

In the afternoon the wind increased, 
and blew fresh from the south-west; which 
excited much apprehension on board the 
Victory, lest the Enemy might be forced 
to return to port. The look-out ships, 
however, made several signals for seeing 
them, and to report their force and bear- 
ings. His Lordship was at this time 
on the poop ; and turning round, and ob- 
serving a group of Midshipmen assem- 
bled together, he said to them with a smile, 
" This day or to-morrow will be a fortunate 
one for you, young men,'' alluding to their 
being promoted in the event of a victory. 

A little before sunset the Euryalus 
communicated intelligence by telegraph, 
that " the Enemy appeared determined to 
go to the westward."' His Lordship upon 
this ordered it to be signified to Captain 
Blackwood (of that ship) by signal, that 
" he depended on the Euryalus for keeping 

c 



10 

sight of the Enemy during the night/' The 
night signals were so clearly and distinctly 
arranged by His Lordship, and so well 
understood by the respective Captains, that 
the Enemy's motions continued to be made 
known to him with the greatest facility 
throughout the night : a certain number of 
guns, with false fires and blue lights, an- 
nounced their altering their course, wear- 
ing, and making or shortening sail; and 
signals communicating such changes were 
repeated by the look-out ships, from the 
Euryalus to the Victory. 

The Enemy wore twice during the 
night : which evolution was considered by 
His Lordship as shewing an intention, on 
their part, of keeping the port of Cadiz 
open ; and made him apprehend that on 
seeing the British Fleet, they would effect 
their retreat thither before he could bring 
them to a general action. He was there- 
fore very careful not to approach their 
Fleet near enough to be seen by them be- 
fore morning. 



11 

The British Fleet wore about two 
o'clock in the morning ; and stood on the 
larboard tack with their heads to the north- 
ward, carrying their topsails and foresails, 
and anxiously expecting the dawn of day. 
When that period arrived, the Combined 
Fleets were distinctly seen from the Vic- 
tory's deck, formed in a close line of battle 
ahead on the starboard tack, standing to 
the south, and about twelve miles to lee- 
ward. They consisted of thirty-three ships 
of the line; four of which w^ere three- 
deckers, and one of seventy guns : the 
strength of the British Fleet was twenty- 
seven ships of the line; seven of which 
were three-deckers, and three of sixty- 
four guns. Lord Nelson had, on the 
10th, issued written Instructions to the 
Admirals and Captains of the Fleet indi- 
vidually, pointing out his intended mode 
of attack in the event of meeting the 
Enemy ;^ and now, previously to appear- 

' These InstmctioDS will be found at the end of the 
Narrative. 



12 

ing himself on deck, he directed Captain 
Hardy to make the necessary signals for 
the order and disposition of the Fleet ac- 
cordingly. 

His Lordship came upon deck soon 
after day-light : he was dressed as usual in 
his Admiral's frock-coat, bearing on the 
left breast four stars of different orders 
which he always wore with his common 
apparel.^ He displayed excellent spirits, 
and expressed his pleasure at the prospect 
of giving a fatal blow to the naval power 
of France and Spain ; and spoke with con- 
fidence of obtaining a signal victory not- 
withstanding the inferiority of the British 
Fleet, declaring to Captain Hardy, that 
" he would not be contented with capturing 
less than twenty sail of the line/' He 



4 His Lordship did not wear his sword in the Bat- 
tle of Trafalgar : it had been laken from the place where 
it hung up in his cabin, and was laid ready on his table ; 
but it is supposed he forgot to call for it. This was 
the only action in which he ever appeared without a 
sword. 



1^ 

afterwards pleasantly observed that " the 
21st of October was the happiest day in 
the year among his familj'^/' but did not 
assign the reason of this.^ His Lordship 
had previously entertained a strong pre- 
sentiment that this would prove the auspi- 
cious day ; and had several times said to 
Captain Hardy and Doctor Scott (Chap- 
lain of the ship, and Foreign Secretary to 
the Commander in Chief, whose intimate 
friendship he enjoyed), " The 21st of Octo- 
ber will be our day. 

The wind was now from the west ; but 
the breezes were very light, with a long 
heavy swell running. The signal being made 
for bearing down upon the Enemy in two 

^ It has been since recollected that on the 2 1st of 
October 1757, His Lordship's maternal uncle, Captain 
Suckling, in the Dreadnought, in company with two 
other line of battle ships, attacked and beat off a French 
squadron of four sail of the line and three frigates, off 
Cape FranQois. The French Commodore was towed 
into Cape Fran9ois ; and the English ships, being too 
much disabled to follow up their success, bore away to 
Jamaica to refit. 



14' 

lines, the British Fleet set all possible sail. 
The lee line, consisting of thirteen ships, 
was led bj Admiral Collingwood in the 
Royal Sovereign ; and the weather line, 
composed of fourteen ships, by the Com- 
mander in Chief in the Victory. His 
Lordship had ascended the poop, to have 
a better view of both lines of the British 
Fleet : and while there, gave directions for 
takino; down from his cabin the different 
fixtures and decorations, amongst which 
there was the portrait of Lady Hamilton : 
addressing himself in an affable manner on 
the occasion to the persons to be employed 
in this business. Shortly after this he 
quitted the poop, and retired to his cabin 
for a few minutes : where he committed to 
paper the following short but devout and 
fervent ejaculation, which must be uni- 
versally admired as highly characteristic of 
the Christian hero : 

^' May the great God whom I 
worship, grant to my Country, 



15 

and for the benefit of Europe in 
general^ a great and glorious vic- 
tory ; may no misconduct in any 
one tarnish it, and may humanity 
after victory be the predominant 
feature in the British Fleet ! For 
myself individually, I commit my 
life to Him that made me ; and 
may His blessing alight on my 
endeavours for serving my Coun- 
try faithfully ! To Him I resign 
myself, and the just cause w^hich 
is entrusted to me to defend. 
Amen, Amen, Amen/'^ 

This prayer and the codicil-f-lo his will 
were both written with His Lordship's 
own hand, within three hours before the 
commencement of the engagement. 



# 



The original MS. of this truly divine effusion is 
appended to the codicil of His Lordship*S will, and 
may be seen at Doctors' Commons. 

t Vide, page 99. 



16 

As the Victory drew near to the 
Enemy, His Lordship, accompanied by 
Captain Hardy, and the Captains of the 
four frigates (Euryalus, Naiad, Sirius, and 
Phcebe) who had been called on board by 
signal to receive instructions, visited the 
different decks of the ship. He addressed 
himself to the officers and people at their 
several quarters, admonishing them against 
firing a single shot without being sure of 
their object ; and expressed himself to the 
former highly satisfied with the arrange- 
ments made at their respective stations. 

It was now plainly perceived by all on 
board the Victor}^ that from the very com- 
pact line which the Enemy had formed, 
they were determined to make one great 
effort to recover in some measure their 
long-lost naval reputation. They wore in 
succession about twenty minutes past seven 
o'clock ; and stood on the larboard tack, 
with their heads toward Cadiz. They had 
a good deal of sail set ; steering about two 
points from the wind, keeping their top-sails 
shivering. Their van was particularly 



17 

closed, having the Santissima Trinidada 
and the Bucentaur the ninth and tent ships, 
the latter the flag-ship of Admiral Ville- 
NEUVE : but as the Adniirals of the Com- 
bined Fleets declined shewing their flags 
till the heat of the battle was over, the for- 
mer of these ships was only distinguished 
from the rest by her having four decks ; 
and Lord Nelson ordered the Victory to 
be steered for her bow. 

Several Officers of the ship now com- 
municated to each other their fears and 
anxiety for His Lordship's personal 
safety, to which every other consideration 
seemed to give way. Indeed all were con- 
fident of gaining a glorious victory, but the 
apprehensions for His Lordship were 
great and general ; and the Surgeon made 
known to Doctor Scott his fears that His 
Lordship would be made the object of 
the Enemy's marksmen, and his desire 
that he might be entreated by somebody 
to cover the stars on his coat with a hand- 
kerchief. Doctor ScoTT and Mr. Scott 

D 



18 

Public Secretary) both observed, how- 
ever, that such a request would have no 
effect ; and that they also knew His Lord- 
ship's feelings on that subject so well, that 
they were sure he would be greatly dis- 
pleased with whoever should take the 
liberty of recommending any change in 
his dress on this account : and when the 
Surgeon declared to Mr. Scott that he 
would avail himself of the opportunity of 
making his sick-report for the day,^ to sub- 

' The Victory's sick-report for this day numbered 
only ten convalescents, who all attended their respec- 
tive quarters during the battle ; and the whole Fleet 
was in a high state of health. Indeed the excellent 
health enjoyed by the crew of the Victory from De- 
cember J 804 up to this period, is perhaps unprece- 
dented : and is attributable solely to Captain Hardy's 
attention to their subordination, temperance, warm 
clothing, and cleanliness; together with the means daily 
adopted to obviate the effects of moisture, and to ac- 
complish the thorough ventilation of every part of the 
ship. 

The Victory arrived at Spithead from the memor- 
able and arduous chace of the Enemies' Fleets to Egypt 
and the West Indies, in August 1805 : and notwith- 
standing the operation of the unfavourable circum- 



19 

mit his sentiments to the Admiral, Mr. 
Scott observed, " Take care, Doctor, 
what you are about; I would not be the 
man to mention such a matter to him/' 
The Surgeon notwithstanding persisted in 
his design, and remained on deck to find a 
proper opportunity for addressing His 
Lordship; but this never occurred: as 
His LoiiDSHiP continued occupied with 
the Captains of the frigates (to whom he 
w^as explaining his intentions respecting the 
services they were to perform during the 
battle) till a short time before the Enemy 

stances of rapid change of climate, and the privation 
of refreshments experienced in that chace, as well as 
frequent increase of numbers (as in the West Indies 
there were at one time embarked in her above 990 
souls), there was not now a single hospital-patient on 
board, nor did any occur during the several weeks of 
her stay in England ; with which Lord Nelson express- 
ed himself much gratified when he joined the ship again, 
on the 14th of September at St. Helen's. The Vic- 
tory's casualties from the 29th of December 1 804 to the 
20th of October following, were only five fatal cases (one 
of these by accidental injury), and only two patients sent 
to a naval hospital. 



20 

opened their fire on the Royal Sovereign, 
when Lord Nelson ordered every indi- 
vidual not stationed on the quarter-deck or 
poop to repair to their proper quarters ; 
and the Surgeon, much concerned at this 
disappointment, retired from the deck with 
several other Officers/ 

The boats on the quarters of the ship, 
being found in the way of the guns, were 
now lowered down, and towed astern. 
Captain Blackwood, of the Eurj^alus, 
remained on board the Victory till a few 
minutes before the Enemy began to fire 
upon her. He represented to His Lord- 
ship, that his flag-ship would be singled out 
and much pressed by the Enemy ; and sug- 
gested the propriety therefore of permitting 
one or two ships of his line to go ahead of 
the Victory, and lead her into action, 

^ It has been reported, but erroneously, that His 
Lordship was actually requested by his Officers to 
change his dress, or to cover his stars; in fact nothing 
took place on this point farther than is recited in the 
text. 



21 

which might be the means of drawing in 
some measure the Enemy^s attention from 
her. To this Lord Nelson assented, and 
at half past nine o'clock he ordered the 
Temeraire and Leviathan by signal (the 
former of which ships, being close to the 
Victory, was hailed by His Lordship) to 
go ahead for that purpose ; but from the 
light breeze that prevailed they were un- 
able, notwithstanding their utmost efforts, 
to attain their intended stations. Captain 
Blackwood foresaw that this would be 
the case ; and as the Victory still continued 
to carry all her sail, he wished Captain 
Hardy to submit to His Lordship, that 
unless her sail was in some degree shortened, 
the two ships just mentioned could not 
succeed in getting ahead previously to the 
Enemy's line being forced : this however 
Captain Hardy declined doing, as he con- 
ceived His Lordship's ardour to get into 
battle would on no account suffer such a 
measure.^ 

^ His LoRDSHir just at this time found fault with 



£2 

About halt' an hour before the Enemy 
opened their fire, the memorable telegra- 
phic signal was made, that " England 

EXPECTS EVERY MAN WILL DO HIS 

DUTY,^' which was spread and received 
throughout the Fleet with enthusiasm. It 
is impossible adequately to describe by 
any language, the lively emotions excited 
in the crew of the Victory when this pro- 
pitious communication was made known 
to them : confidence and resolution were 
strongly pourtrayed in the countenance of 
all ; and the sentiment generally expressed 
to each other was, that they would prove to 
their Country that day, how well British 
seamen could " do their duty'' when led 
to battle by their revered Admiral. The 
signal was afterwards made to " prepare to 
anchor after the close of the day ;'' and 

the Officer commanding on the forecastle, because the 
lee (or starboard) lower studding-sail had not been set 
sooner; a circumstance which, though trivial in itself, 
shews how well Captain Hardy knew His Lord- 
ship's sentiments. 



23 

union-jacks were hoisted at the fore-top- 
mast and top-gallant-stays of each ship, to 
serve as a distinction from the Enemy's, in 
conformity with orders previously issued 
by the Commander in Chief, By His 
Lordship's directions also, the different 
divisions of the Fleet hoisted the St. 
George's or white ensign, being the co- 
lours of the Commander in Chief: this 
was done to prevent confusion from occur- 
ring during the battle, through a variety of 
national flags. 

The Royal Sovereign now made the 
signal by telegraph, that "the Enemy's 
Commander in Chief was in a frigate." 
This mistake arose from one of their fri- 
gates making many signals. Lord Nelson 
ordered his line to be steered about two 
points more to the northward than that of 
his Second in Command, for the purpose of 
cutting off the retreat of the Enemy's van 
to the port of Cadiz ; which was the rea- 
son of the three leading ships of Admiral 
Collingwood's line being engaged with 



24 

the Enemy previously to those of the Com- 
mander in Chief's hne. 

The Enemy began to fire on the Royal 
Sovereign at thirty minutes past eleven 
o'clock ; in ten minutes after which she 
placed herself under the stern of the St. 
Anna, and commenced a fire on her. 
Lieutenant Pasco, Signal Officer of the 
Victory, was heard to say while looking 
through his glass, " There is a top-gallant- 
yard gone/' His Lordship eagerly asked, 
*' Whose top-gallant-yard is that gone ? Is 
it the Royal Sovereign's ?" and on being 
answered by Lieutenant Pasco in the ne- 
gative, and that it was the Enemy's he 
smiled, and said: " Collingwood is doing 
well." ' 

At fifty minutes past eleven the Enemy 
opened their fire on the Commander in 
Chief. They shewed great coolness in the 

\ His Lordship in a few minutes after this called 
Lieutenant Pasco, Mr. Ogilvie, and some other 
Officers, near him, and desired them to set their watches 
by the time of that which His Lordship wore. 



25 

commencement of the battle ; for as the 
Victory approached their hne, their ships 
lying immediately ahead of her and across 
her bows fired only one gun at a time, to 
ascertain whether she was yet within their 
range. This was frequently repeated by 
eight or nine of their ships, till at length a 
shot passed through the Victory's main- 
top-gallant-sail ; the hole in which being 
perceived by the Enemy, the}^ immediately 
opened their broadsides, supporting an aw- 
ful and tremendous fire. In a very short 
time afterwards, Mr. Scott, Public Secre- 
tary to the Commander in Chief, was killed 
by a cannon-shot while in conversation 
with Captain Hardy. Lord Nelson 
being then near them. Captain Adair of 
the Marines, with the assistance of a Sea- 
man, endeavoured to remove the body from 
His Lordship's sight : but he had already 
observed the fall of his Secretar}^ ; and now 
said with anxiety, " Is that poor Scott that 
is gone?" and on being answered in the 
affirmative by Captain Adair he replied, 

" Poor fellow !" 
» 

E 



26 

Lord Nelson and Captain Hardy 
walked the quarter-deck in conversation 
for some time after this, while the Ene- 
my kept up an incessant raking fire. A 
double-headed shot struck one of the parties 
of Marines drawn up on the poop, and 
killed eight of them ; when His Lord- 
ship, perceiving this, ordered Captain 
Adair to disperse his men round the 
ship, that they might not suffer so much 
from being together. In a few minutes 
afterwards a shot struck the fore-brace-bits 
on the quarter-deck, and passed between 
Lord Nelson and Captain Hardy; a 
splinter from the bits bruising Captain 
Hardy's foot, and tearing the buckle 
from his shoe.* They both instantly 

* The author of a recent publication on *^ The 
Naval History of Great Britain," inserted the follow- 
ing observation on this paragraph, at page 293, of his 
third volume, which however he has since recalled by a 
notice in his " Corrigenda," a copy of which will be seen 
on the other side. 

Page 293. — *' Dr. B. states that it was Captain 
Hardy's shoe from which the buckle was torn, and that 



27 

stopped ; and were observed by the Of- 
ficers on deck to survey each other with 
inquiring looks, each supposing the other 
to be wounded. His Lordship then 
smiled, and said : " This is too warm work. 
Hardy, to last long;'" and declared that 
" through all the battles he had been in, he 
had never witnessed more cool courage than 
was displayed by the Victory's crew on this 
occasion/' 



The Victory by this time, having ap- 



his foot was bruised in consequence. If that be true 
(and we see no reason to doubt it), both the Admiral and 
the Captain must have been struck by a splinter ; for the 
fact as represented in the text, is grounded on the posi- 
tive assertion of two of the officers who were standing by 
Lord Nelson and Captain Hardy, when the shot 
passed between them. 

** I owe an apology to sir Thomas Hardy and 
doctor Beatty for having doubted the accuracy of 
the latter's statement respecting the wound received by 
the former. And yet a reference to the note will show, 
that I had no less authority than the ' positive asser- 
tion of two of the officers, who were standing by Lord 
Nelson and Captain Hardy when the shot passed 
between them.'" 



28 

proached close to the Enemy's van, had 
suffered very severely without firing a 
single gun, excepting one accidentally dis- 
charged whilst going down to the Ene- 
my : she had lost about twenty men killed, 
and had about thirty wounded. Her mizen- 
topmast, and all her studding-sails and 
their booms, on both sides were shot away ; 
the Enemy ''s fire being chiefly directed at 
her rigging, with a view to disable her be- 
/ fore she could close with them.^ At four 
minutes past twelve o'clock she opened her 
\ fire, from both sides of her decks, upon the 
I Enemy ; when Captain Hardy represented 
j to His Lordship, that " it appeared im- 
practicable to pass through the Enemy's 
line without going on board some one of 
r their ships." Lord Nelson answered," T 
I cannot help it : it does not signify which 
■ we run on board of; go on board which 
\ you please ; take your choice/' 

^ The Enemy's fire continued to be pointed so high 
throughout the engagement, that the Victory did not 
lose a man on her lower deck ; and had only two wound- 
ed on that deck, and these by musket-balls. 



29 

At twenty minutes past twelve, the 
tiller-ropes being shot away, Mr, Atkin- 
son, the Master, was ordered below to get 
the helm put to port ; which being done, 
the Victorv was soon run on board the 
Redoutable of seventy -four guns. On com- 
ing alongside and nearly on board of her, 
that ship fired her broadside into the Vic- 
tory, and immediately let down her lower- 
deck ports ; which, as has been since learnt, 
was done to prevent her from being boarded 
through them by the Victory's crew. She 
never fired a great gun after this single 
broadside. A few minutes after this, the 
Temeraire fell likew ise on board of the Re- 
doutable, on the side opposite to the Vic- 
tory ; having also an Enemy's ship, said to 
be La Fougueux, on board of her on her 
other side: so that the extraordinary and 
unprecedented circumstance occurred here, 
of four ships of the line being on hoard of 
each other in the heat of battle; forming as 
compact a tier as if they had been moored 
together, their heads lying all the same 



so 

way. The Temeraire, as was just before 
mentioned, was between the Redoutable 
and La Fougueux. The Redoutable com- 
menced a heavy fire of musketry from the 
tops, which was continued for a consider- 
able time with destructive effect to the Vic- 
tory's crew : her great guns however being 
silent, it was supposed at different times 
that she had surrendered ; and in conse- 
quence of this opinion, the Victory twice 
ceased firing upon her, by orders trans- 
mitted from the quarter-deck. 

At this period, scarcely a person in the 
Victory escaped unhurt who was exposed 
on the upper deck to the Enemy's mus- 
ketry : but there were frequent huzzas and 
cheers heard from between the decks, in 
token of the surrender of different of the 
Enemy's ships. An incessant fire was kept 
up from both sides of the Victory : her lar- 
board guns played upon the Santissima 
Trinidada and the Bucentaur ; and the star- 
board guns of the middle and lower decks 
were depressed, and fired with a diminished 



31 

charge of powder, and three shot each, into 
the Redoutable. This mode of firing was 
adopted by Lieutenants Williams, King, 
Yule, and Brown, to obviate the danger 
of the Temeraire's suffering from the Vic- 
tory's shot passing through the Redoutable ; 
which must have been the case if the usual 
quantity of powder, and the common eleva- 
tion, had been given to the guns A cir- 
cumstance occurred in this situation, which 
shewed in a most striking manner the cool 
intrepidity of the Officers and men stationed 
on the lower deck of the Victory. When 
the guns on this deck were run out, their 
muzzles came into contact with the Re- 
doutable's side ; and consequently at every 
discharge there was reason to fear that the 
Enemy would take fire, and both the Vic- 
tory and the Temeraire be involved in her 
flames. Here then was seen the astonish- 
ing spectacle of the fireman of each gun 
standing ready with a bucket full of water, 
which as soon as his gun was discharged 
he dashed into the Enemy through the 
holes made in her side by the shot. 



32 

/' It was from this ship (the Redoutable) 
that Lord Nelson received his mortal 
wound. About fifteen minutes past one 
o'clock, which was in the heat of the en- 
gagement, he was walking the middle of 
the quarter-deck with Captain Hardy, and 
in the act of turning near the hatchway 
with his face towards the poop of the Vic- 
tory, when the fatal ball was fired from the 
Enemy's mizen-top ; which, from the situa- 
tion of the two ships (then on board of each 
other), was brought just abaft, and rather 
below, the Victory's main-yard, and of 
course not more than fifteen yards distant 
from that part of the deck where His 
Lordship stood. The ball struck the 
epaulette on his left shoulder, and pene- 
trated his chest. He fell with his face on 
the deck. Captain Hardy, who was on 
his right (the side furthest from the Re- 
doutable ) and advanced some steps before 
His Lordship, on turning round, saw the 
Serjeant Major (Secker) of Marines with 
two Seamen raising him from the deck ; 
where he had fallen on the same spot on 



33 

which his Secretary had been killed a 
little before, with whose blood His Lord- 
ship's clothes were much stained. Captain 
Hardy expressed a hope that he was not 
severely wounded ; to which the gallant 
Chief replied : " They have done for me at 
last. Hardy." — " I hope not/' answered 
Captain Hardy. " Yes/' replied His 
Lordship; " my backbone is shot 
through.'' 

Captain Hardy desired the Seamen 
to convey His Lordship to the cockpit; 
and now two incidents occurred strikingly 
characteristic of this great man, and strong- 
ly marking that energy and reflection which 
in his heroic mind rose superior even to the 
immediate consideration of his own awful 
condition. While the men were carrying 
him down the ladder frora the middle deck, 
His Lordship remarked that the tiller- 
ropes were not yet replaced ; and desired 
one of the Midshipmen stationed there 
to go upon the quarter-deck and remind 
Captain Hardy of that circumstance, and 



34 

request that new ones should be imme- 
diately rove. Having thus expressed him- 
self, he took his handkerchief from his 
pocket and covered his face with it, that 
he might be conveyed to the cockpit at 
this crisis unnoticed by the crew^/ 

Several wounded Officers, and about 
forty men, were likewise carried to the Sur- 
geon for assistance just at this time ; and 
some others had breathed their last dur- 
ing their conveyance below. Among the 
latter were Lieutenant William Andrew 
Ram, and Mr. Whipple Captain's Clerk. 
The Surgeon had just examined these two 
Officers, and found that they were dead, 
when his attention was arrested by several 
of the wounded calling to him, " Mr. 
Beatty, Lord Nelson is here : Mr. 
Beatty, the Admiral is wounded.'' The 
Surgeon now, on looking round, saw the 
handkerchief fall from His Lordship's 
face; when the stars on his coat, which 
also had been covered by it, appeared. 
Mr. Burke the Purser, and the Surgeon^ 



4. 



35 

ran immediately to the assistance of His 
Lordship, and took him from the arms of 
the Seamen who had carried liirn below. 
In conveying him to one of the Midship- 
men's births, they stumbled, but recovered 
themselves without falling. Lord Nelson 
then inquired who were supporting him ; 
and when the Surgeon informed him. His 
Lordship replied, """ Ah, Mr. Beatty ! 
you can do nothing for me. I have but a 
short time to live : my back is shot through.^" 
The Surgeon said, '' he hoped the wound 
was not so dangerous as His Lordship 
imagined, and that he might still survive 
long to enjoy his glorious victory.'' The ' 
Reverend Doctor Scott, who had been 
absent in another part of the cockpit admi- 
nistering lemonade to the wounded, now 
came instantly to His Lordship ; and in 
the anguish of grief wrung his hands, and 
said: "Alas, Beatty, how prophetic you 
were !" alluding to the apprehensions ex- 
pressed by the Surgeon for His Lord- 
ship's safety previous to the battle. 



36 

His Lordship was laid upon a bed 
stripped of his clothes, and covered with a 
sheet. While this was effecting, he said to 
Doctor Scott,/' Doctor, I told you so. 
Doctor, I am gone ;/ and after a short pause 
he added in a low voice,; " I have to leave 
Lady Hamilton, and my adopted daugh- 
ter HoRATiA, as a legacy to my Country. y^ 
The Surgeon then examined the Avound, as- 
suring His Lordship that he would not 
put him to much pain in endeavouring to 
discover the course of the ball ; which he 
soon found had penetrated deep into the 
chest, and had probably lodged in the spine. 
This being explained to His Lordship, 
he replied, " he was confident his back was 
shot through."' The back Avas then ex- 
amined externally, but without any injury 
being perceived ; on which His Lord- 
ship was requested by the Surgeon to 
make him acquainted with all his sensa- 
tions. He replied, that " he felt a gush of 
blood every minute within his breast : that 
he had no feeling in the lower part of his 



:sM 



37 

body : and that his breathing was difficult, 
and attended with very severe pain about 
that part of the spine where he was con- 
jSdent that the ball had struck ; for/" said 
he, " I felt it break my back/' These 
symptoms, but more particularly the gush 
of blood which His Lordship complained 
of, together with the state of his pulse, in- 
dicated to the Surgeon the hopeless situa- 
tion of the case ; but till after the victory 
was ascertained and announced to His 
Lordship, the true nature of his wound was 
concealed by the Surgeon from all on board 
except only Captain Hardy, Doctor 
Scott, Mr. Burke, and Messrs. Smith and 
Westemburg the Assistant Surgeons. 

The Victory's crew cheered whenever 
they observed an Enem3^'s ship surrender. 
On one of these occasions. Lord Nelson 
anxiously inquired what was the cause of 
it ; when Lieutenant Pasco, who lay wound- 
ed at some distance from His Lordship, 
raised himself up, and told him that another 
ship had struck, which appeared to give 



38 

him much satisfaction. He now felt an ar- 
dent thirst ; and frequently called for drink, 
and to be fanned with paper, making use 
of these words : " Fan, fan,'' and " Drink, 
drink/' This he continued to repeat when 
he wished for drink or the refreshment of 
cool air, till a very few^ minutes before he 
expired. Lemonade, and wine and water, 
w^re given to him occasionally. He evinced 
great solicitude for the event of the battle, 
and fears for the safety of his friend Captain 
Hardy. Doctor Scott and Mr. Burke 
used every argument they could suggest, 
to relieve his anxiety. Mr. Burke told 
him " the Enemy were decisively defeated, 
and that he hoped His Lordship would 
still live to be himself the bearer of the joy- 
ful tidings to his country." He replied. 
It is nonsense, Mr. Burke, to suppose I 
can live : my sufferings are great, but they 
will all be soon over.''/ Doctor Scott en- 
treated His Lordship " not to despair of 
living," and said " he trusted that Divine 
Providence would restore him once more 



A< 



39 

to his dear Country and friends/'--*^ Ah, 
Doctor '/' rephed His Lordship, ^'it is all 
over ; it is all over/' 

Many messages were sent to Captain 
Hardy by the Surgeon, requesting his 
attendance on His Lordship; who became 
impatient to see him, and often exclaimed : 
'^ Will no one bring Hardy to me? He 
must be killed : he is surely destroyed.'^ 
The Captain's Aid-de-camp, Mr. Bulk- 
ley, now came below, and stated that 
"circumstances respecting the Fleet re- 
quired Captain Hardy's presence on deck, 
but that he would avail himself of the first 
favourable moment to visit His Lordship." 
On hearing him deliver this message to the 
Surgeon, His Lordship inquired who had 
brought it. Mr. Burke answered, " It is 
Mr. BuLKLEY, my Lord.''—" It is his 
voice," replied His Lordship : he then said 
to the young gentleman, " Remember me 
to your father.'' 

An hour and ten minutes however 



V 



40 

elapsed from the time of His Lordship's 
being wounded, before Captain Hardy^s 
first interview with him in the cockpit; the 
particulars of which are nearly as follow. 
They shook hands affectionately, and Lord 
Nelson said : " Well, Hardy, how goes 
the battle ? How goes the day with us V* — 
" Ver}^ well, my Lord," replied Captain 
Hardy : *' we have oot twelve or fourteen 
of the Enemy's ships in our possession ; 
but five of their van have tacked, and 
shew an intention of bearing down upon 
the Victory. I have therefore called 
two or three of our fresh ships round us, 
and have no doubt of giving them a drub- 
bing/'-^* I hope,'' said His Lordship, 
" none of our ships have struck. Hardy.*' 
" No, my Lord," replied Captain Hardy ; 
" there is no fear of that.'' Lord Nelson 
then said : " I am a dead man, Haiidy. 
I am going fast : it will be all over 
with me soon. Come nearer to me.'' Mr. 
Burke was about to withdraw at the com- 



41 

mencement of this conversation ; but His 
Lordship, perceiving his intention, desired 
he would remain. Captain Hardy ob- 
served, that " he hoped Mr. Beatty could 
yet hold out some prospect of life."' — " Oh ! 
no,'^ answered His Lordship ; " it is im^ 
possible. My back is shot through. Be- 
atty will tell you so.'' Captain Hardy 
then returned on deck, and at parting 
shook hands again with his revered friend 
and commander. 

His Lordship now requested the Sur- 
geon, who had been previously absent a 
short time attending Mr. Rivers, to return 
to the wounded, and give his assistance to 
such of them as he could be useful to ; 
/« for/' said he, " you can do nothing for 
me."' The Surgeon assured him that the 
Assistant Surgeons were doing every thing 
that could be effected at that moment for 
the wounded men ; but on His Lord- 
ship's several times repeating his injunc- 
tions to that effect, he reluctantly withdrew, 
leaving the Admiral in the care of Doctor 

G 



42 

Scott, and Mr. Burke, with two of His 
Lordship's domestics, in attendance. 
When the Surgeon had been absent a few 
minutes, assisting Lieutenants Peake and 
Reeves of the Marines, who were wounded, 
he was called by Dr. Scott to His Lord- 
ship, who said ; " Ah, Mr. Beatty ! I have 
sent for you to say, what I forgot to tell 
you before, that all power of motion and 
feeling below my breast are gone ; and 
you^'' continued he, " very w^ell know I can 
live but a very short time./^ The emphatic 
manner in which he pronounced these last 
w^ords, left no doubt in the Surgeon's mind, 
that he adverted to the case of a man who 
had some months before accidentally re- 
ceived a mortal injury of the spine, by a 
fall on board the Victory, and had laboured 
under similar privations of feeling and 
muscular motion. This case had evidently 
made a great impression, at the time, on 
His LoRDsmp's mind : he was then anxious 
to know the cause of such symptoms, which 
was accordingly explained to him ; and he 



43 

now appeared to apply the situation and 
fate of this man to himself. "* The Surgeon 
answered, " My Lord, you told me so 
before : but he now examined the extremi- 
ties, to ascertain the fact; when His Lord- 
ship said, " Ah, Beatty ! I am too certain 
of it: Scott and Burke have tried it al- 
ready. You know I am gone.^' The Sur- 
geon replied ;/" My Lord, unhappily for 
our Country, nothing can be done for you ;^/ 
and having felt himself called on to make 
this declaration, he was so much affected, 
that he turned round and withdrew a few 
steps to conceal his emotions. His Lord- 



4 The instance here alluded to occurred in the month 
of July, in the Victory's return to Europe from the West 
Indies ; and the man survived the injury thirteen days. 
His Lordship, during the whole of that time, manifested 
much anxiety at the protracted sufferings of an individual 
whose dissolution was certain, and was expected every 
hour. From the time of his receiving the injury until 
his death, Lord Nelson daily visited and conversed 
with this unfortunate man. 



44 

SHIP said : " I know it. I feel something 
rising in my breast,'' putting his hand on 
his left side, " which tells me I am gone./^ 
Drink was recommended liberally, and 
Doctor Scott and Mr. Burke fanned him 
with paper. He often exclaimed, " God 
be praised, I have done my duty;" and 
upon the Surgeon's inquiring whether his 
pain was still very great, he declared, ^^ it 
continued so very severe, that he wished he 
was dead. Yet,'/ said he in a lower voice, 
\" one would like to live a little longer too.'!/ 
The Surgeon finding it impossible to 
render His Lordship any further assist- 
ance left him, to attend Lieutenant Bligh, 
Messrs. Smith and Westphall Midship- 
men, and some Seamen, recently wound- 
ed. Captain Hardy now came to the 
cockpit to see His Lordship a second 
time, which was after an interval of about 
fifty minutes from the conclusion of his 
first visit. Before he quitted the deck, 



45 

however, he sent Lieutenant Hills to 
acquaint Admiral Colliistgwood with the 
lamentable circumstance of Lord Nelson^s 
being wounded/ Lord Nelson and Cap- 
tain Hardy shook hands again: and 
while the Captain retained His Lord- 
ship's hand, he congratulated him even 
in the arms of Death on his brilhant vic- 
tor}^ : " which/' he said, '' was complete ; 
though he did not know hpw many of the 
Enemy were captured, as it was impossible 
to perceive every ship distinctly. He was 
certain however of fourteen or fifteen having 
surrendered/' His Lordship answered, 
" That is well, but I bargained for twenty /' 
and then emphatically exclaimed, " Anchor, 

^ Captain Hardy deemed it his duty to give this 
information to Admiral Collingwood as soon as the fate 
of the day was decided ; but thinking that His Lordship 
might feel some repugnance to this communication, he 
left directions for Lieutenant Hills to be detained on 
deck at his return, till he himself (Captain Hardy) 
should come up from the cockpit. Lieutenant Hills 
was dispatched on this mission from the Victory, at the 
very time when the Enemy's van ships that had tacked 
were passing her to windward and firing at her. 



46 

Hardy, anchor!'' To this the Captain 
rephed : " I suppose, my Lord, Admiral 
Colli NGwooD will now take upon himself 
the direction of affairs." — " Not while I 
live, 1 hope, Hardy !" cried the dying 
Chief; and at that moment endeavoured 
ineffectually to raise himself from the bed. 
" No," added he ; " do you anchor, Har- 
dy." Captain Hardy then said : " Shall 
we make the signal. Sir?"— " Yes," answered 
His Lordship; " for if I live, I'll anchor."^ 
The energetic manner in which he uttered 
these his last orders to Captain Hardy, 
accompanied with his efforts to raise him- 
self, evinced his determination never to 
resign the command while he retained the 
exercise of his transcendant faculties, and 
that he expected Captain Hardy still to carry 

^ Meaning that in case of His Lordship's surviving 
till all resistance on the part of the Enemy had ceased. 
Captain Hardy was then to anchor the British Fleet 
and the prizes, if it should be found practicable. But 
on His Lordship's death the command, of course^ 
instantly devolved on Admiral Collingwood. 



47 

into effect the suggestions of his exalted 
mind ; a sense of his duty overcoming 
the pains of death. He then told Captain 
Hardy, " he felt that in a few minutes he 
should be no more ;'Vadding in a low tone, 
" Don't throw me overboard, Hardy/' 
The Captain answered : '' Oh ! no certainly 
not,"—" Then,'' replied His Lordship, 
" you know what to do ;''^ and after a short 
pause he added, " Kiss me. Hardy/' The 
Captain now knelt down, and kissed his 
cheek ; when His Lordship said,/^ Now I 
am satisfied. Than^k God, I have^done my 
duty. /^^ Captain Hardy stood for a minute 
or two in silent contemplation : he then 
knelt down again, and kissed His Lord- 
ship's forehead. His Lordship said : 
" Who is that ?" The Captain answered : 
" It is Hardy;" to which His Lordship 
replied, " God bless you, Hardy !'* After 

' Alluding to some wishes previously expressed by 
His Lordship to Captain Hardy respecting the place 
of his interment. 



■.> 1 



C-J 



// 



Ml ^ - '^tii^ixA.^. 1" 



48 

this affecting scene Captain Hardy with- 
drew and returned to the quarter-deck, 
having spent about eight minutes in this 
his last interview with his dying friend. 

Lord Nelson now desired Mr. Che- 
valier, his Steward, to turn him upon his 
right side; whidi being effected, His 
Lordship said /" I wish I had not left the 
deck, for I shall soon be gone./ He after- 
wards became very low ; his breathing was 
oppressed and his voice faint. He said to 
Doctor Scott,/' Doctor, I have not been 
a great sinner;" and after a short pause, 
/" Remember^ that I leave Lady Hamilton 
and my daughter Horatia as a legac}^ lo 
my Country : and," added he, " never 
forget Horatia/' His thirst now increased ; 
and he called for, " JDrink, drink,'' '' Fan, 
fan,'' and " Rub, rub f addressing himself 
in the last case to Doctor Scott, who had 
been rubbing His Lordship's breast with 
his hand from w hich he found rehef. These 
Avords he spoke in a very rapid manner, 



49 

which rendered his articulation difficult: 
but he every now and then, with evident 
increase of pain, made a greater effort 
with his vocal powers, and nronounced dis- 
tinctly these last words ;/ '^ Thank God, 
I have done rny duty;'/ and this pious 
expression he continued to repeat as long 
as he was able to give it utterance. 

His Lordship became speechless in 
about fifteen minutes after Captain Hardy 
left him. Doctor Scott and Mr. Burke, 
who had all along sustained the bed under 
his shoulders (which raised him in nearly 
a semi-recumbent posture, the only one 
that was supportable to him), forbore to 
disturb him by speaking to him ; and when 
he had remained speechless about five 
minutes. His Lordship's Steward went to 
the Surgeon, who had been a short time 
occupied with the wounded in another 
part of the cockpit, and stated his appre- 
hensions that His Lordship was dying. The 
Surgeon immediately repaired to him, and 
found him on the verge of dissolution. He 

H 



50 

knelt down by his side, and took up his 
hand ; which was cold, and the pulse gone 
from the wrist. On the Surgeon's laying his 
hand on his forehead, which was likewise 
cold, His Lordship opened his eyes, looked 
up, and shut them again. The Surgeon 
again left him, and returned to the wounded 
who required his assistance ; but was not 
absent five minutes before the Steward an- 
nounced to him that " he believed His 
Lordship had expired/' The Surgeon 
returned, and found that the report was but 
too well founded : His Lordship had 
breathed his last, at thirty minutes past 
four o'clock : at which momentous period 
Doctor Scott was in the act of rubbing 
His Lordhip's breast and Mr. Burke sup- 
porting the bed under his shoulders;* 
which offices they had been engaged in for 
a considerable time. 

^ It must occur to the reader, that from the nature 
of the scene passing in the cockpit, and the noise of the 
guns, the whole of His Lordship's expressions could 



51 

Thus died this matchless Hero, after 
performing, in a short but brilliant and 
and well-filled life, a series of naval exploits 
unexampled in any age of the world. 
None of the sons of Fame ever evinced 
greater zeal to promote the honour and in- 
terest of his King and Country ; none ever 
served them with more devoted ness and 
glory, or with more successful and import- 
ant results. His character will for ever 
shed a lustre over the annals of this na- 
tion, to whose enemies his very name was 
a terror. In the battle off Cape St. 
Vincent, his unprecedented personal 
prowess will long be recorded with ad- 
miration among his profession. The 
shores of Aboukir and Copenhagen 
subsequently witnessed those stupendous 
achievements which struck the whole civi- 
lized world with astonishment. Still these 
were only preludes to the Battle of 

not be borne in mind, nor even distinctly heard, by the 
different persons attending him. The most interesting 
parts are here detailed. 



52 

Trafalgar: in which he shone with a 
majesty of dignity as far surpassing even 
his own former renown, as that renown 
had aheady exceeded every thing else 
to be found in the pages of naval history ; 
the transcendantly brightest star in a ga- 
laxy of heroes. His splendid example 
will operate as an everlasting impulse to 
the enterprising genius of the British 
Navy.^ 

From the time of His Lordship^s 
being wounded till his death, a period of 
about two hours and forty-five minutes 
elapsed ; but a knowledge of the decisive 
victory which was gained, he acquired of 
Captain Hardy within the first hour-and- 
a-quarter of this period. A partial can- 
nonade, however, was still maintained, in 
consequence of theEnemy's running ships 

» Immediately after His Lordship expired, 
Captain Hardy went on board the Royal Sovereign, 
to communicate tbe melancholy event, and the nature 
of His Lordship's last orders, to Admiral Colling- 
wood. 



53 

passing the British at different points; and 
the last distant guns which were fired at 
their van ships that were making off, were 
heard a minute or two before His Lord- 
ship expired. 

A STEADY and continued fire was kept 
up by the Victory^s starboard guns on the 
Redou table, for about fifteen minutes after 
Lord Nelson was wounded; in which 
short period Captain Adair and about 
eighteen Seamen and Marines were killed, 
and Lieutenant Bligh, Mr. Palmer 
Midshipman, and twenty Seamen and 
Marines, wounded, by the Enemy's mus- 
ketry alone. The Redoutable had been 
on fire twice, in her fore-chains and on her 
forecastle: she had likewise succeeded in 
throwing a few hand-grenades into the 
Victory, which "set fire to some ropes 
and canvas on the booms. The cry of 
" Fire !" was now circulated throughout the 
ship, and even reached the cockpit, with- 
out producing the degree of sensation which 
might be expected on such an awful oc- 



54 

casion: the crew soon extinguished the 
fire on the booms, and then immediately 
turned their attention to that on board the 
Enemy; which they likewise put out by 
throwing buckets of water fi^om the gang- 
way into the Enemy's chains and fore- 
castle, thus furnishing another admirable 
instance of deliberate intrepidity. iit 
thirty minutes past one o'clock, tbfe Rer~ 
doutable's musketry having ceased, and 
her colours being struck^ the Victory's 
men endeavoured to get on board her: but 
this was found impracticable; for, though 
The two ships were still in contact, yet the 
top-sides or upper-works of both fell in so 
much on their upper decks, that there was 
a great space (perhaps fourteen feet or 
more) between their gangways; and the 
Enemy s ports being down, she could not 
oe boarded from the Victory*s lower nor 
middle deck, .^Several Seamen volunteered 
tneir services to Lieutenant Quilliam, to 
jump overboard, swim under the Redout- 
able's bows, and endeavour to get up there ; 



55 

but Captain Hardy refused to permit this. 
The prize however, and the Victory, fell 
off from each other; and their separation 
was believed to be the eiSFect of the con- 
cussion produced by the Victory's fire, as- 
sisted by the helm of the latter being put 
to starboard. 

Messrs. Ogilvie and Colling- 
W00D5 Midshipmen of the Victory, were 
sent in a small boat to take charge of 
the prize, which they effected.^ After 
this, the ships of the Enemy's van that 
had shewn a disposition to attack the Vic- 
tory, passed to windward ; and fired their 
broadsides not only into her and the Te- 
meraire, but also into the French and 
Spanish captured ships indiscriminately : 
and they were seen to back or shiver their 
topsails for the purpose of doing this with 

^ The Redoutable lay alongside and still foul of 
the Temeraire for some time after this, and till several 
Seamen were sent from the latter to the assistance of 
the two Officers and men belonging to the Victory who 
had before taken possession of the prize. 



56 

more precision." The two Midshipmen of 
the Victory had just boarded the Redout- 
able, and got their men out of the boat, 
when a shot from the Enemy's van ships 
that were making off cut the boat adrift. 
About ten minutes after taking possession 
of her, a Midshipman came to her from the 
Temeraire ; and had hardly ascended the 
poop, when a shot from one of those ships 
took off his leg. The French Officers, see- 
ing the firing continued on the prize by 
their own countrymen, entreated the Eng- 
lish Midshipmen to quit the deck, and ac- 
company them below. The unfortunate 
Midshipman of the Temeraire was carried 
to the French Surgeon, who was ordered 
to give his immediate attendance to him 
in preference to his own wounded : his leg 
w^as amputated, but he died the same 

^ These were the ships commanded by Admiral 
DUMANNOIR, and afterwards captured by the squadron 
under the command of Sir Richard Strachan. They 
were nearly half an hour in passing to windward, during 
the whole of which time they continued firing on the 
British ships. 



57 

night. The Redoutable suffered so much 
from shot received between wind and water, 
that she sunk while in tow of the Swiftsure 
on the following evening, when the gale 
came on ; and out of a crew originally con- 
sisting of more than eight hundred men, 
about a hundred and thirty only were saved : 
but she had lost above three hundred in 
the battle.^ 

It is by no means certain, though high- 
ly probable, that Lord Nelson was parti- 
cularly aimed at by the Enemy. There 
were only two Frenchmen left alive in the 
mizen-top of the Redoutable at the time 
of His Lordship's being wounded, and 
by the hands of one of these he fell. These 
men continued firing at Captains Hardy 
and Adair, Lieutenant Rotely of the 
Marines, and some of the Midshipmen on 
the Victory's poop, and indeed at every 

3 About twenty of the Redoutable's guns were dis- 
mounted in the action. Those on that side of her 
lower deck opposed to the Victory, were all dismounted 
except five or six. 

I 



58 

one who appeared on deck for some time 
afterwards. At Jength one of them was 
killed by a musket-ball : and on the other's 
then attempting to make his escape from 
the top down the rigging, Mr. Pollard 
(Midshipman) fired his musket at him, and 
shot him in the back; when he fell dead 
from the shrouds, on the Redoutable's poop. 

The writer of this will not attempt to 
depict the heart-rending sorrow, and me- 
lancholy gloom, which pervaded the breast 
and the countenance of every individual on 
board the Victory when His Lordship's 
death became generally known. The an- 
guish felt by all for such a loss, rendered 
doubly heavy to them^ is more easy to be 
conceived than described: by his lamented 
fall they were at once deprived of their 
adored commander, and their friend and 
patron. 

The battle was fought in soundings 
about sixteen miles to the westward of Cape 
Trafalgar; and if fortunately there had 
been more wind in the beginning of the 



59 

action, it is very probable that Lord 
Nelson would still have been saved to his 
Country, and that every ship of the line 
composing the Combined Fleets would have 
been either captured or destroyed : for had 
the Victory been going fast through the 
water, she must have dismasted the Redout- 
able, and would of course have passed on 
to attack another ship ; consequently His 
Lordship would not have been so long nor 
so much exposed to the Enemy's musketry. 
From the same circumstance of there being 
but little wind, several of the Enemy's ships 
made off before the rear and bad-sailing 
ships of the British lines could come up to 
secure them. 

The Victory had no musketry in her 
tops: as His Lordship had a strong aver- 
sion to small arms being placed there, 
from the danger of their setting fire to 
the sails ; which indeed was illustrated on 
this occasion by the destruction of the 
French ship TAchille, which took fire in 
the fore-top early in this battle. It is a 



60 

species of warfare by which individuals 
may suffer, and now and then a Commander 
be picked off: but it can hardly ever decide 
the fate of a general engagement ; and a 
circumstance in many respects similar to 
that of the Victory's running on board of 
the Redoutable, may not occur again in 
the course of centuries. The loss sustained 
by the Victory amounted to fifty-five killed, 
and a hundred and two wounded;^ and it 
is highly honourable to the discipline and 
established regulations of the ship, that not 
one casualty from accident or explosion oc- 
curred on board during the engagement. 

On the day after the battle, as soon as 
circumstances permitted the Surgeon to 
devote a portion of his attention to the 
care of Lord Nelson's mortal Remains, 
measures were adopted to preserve them as 
effectually as the means then on board the 

4 Many of those who were slightly wounded did 
not apply for assistance till after the public return of 
killed and wounded had been transmitted to Admiral 
CoLLiNGWOOD, which therefore reports a smaller num- 
ber than here stated. * 



61 

Victory allowed. On the Surgeon's ex- 
amining the nature of the wound, and the 
course of the ball, a quantity of blood was 
evacuated from the left side of the breast : 
none had escaped before. The ball was 
traced by a probe to the spine, but its lodg- 
ment could not at that time be discovered. 
There was no lead on board to make a 
coffin: a cask called a leaguer, which is of 
the largest size on shipboard, was therefore 
chosen for the reception of the Body; which, 
after the hair had been cut off, was stripped 
of the clothes except the shirt, and put 
into it, and the cask was then filled with 
brandy.^ 

5 Brandy was recommended by the Surgeon in 
preference to rum, of which spirit also their was plenty 
on board. This circumstance is here noticed merely 
because an opinion was found to prevail very generally 
on the Victory's arrival in England, that rum preserves 
a corpse much longer and more perfectly than any other 
spirit, and ought therefore to have been used : but this 
idea is erroneous, for there are several kinds of spirit 
much better for that purpose than rum ; and as their 
fitness in this respect arises from their degree of strength, 
on which alone their antisceptic quality depends, brandy 
is superior. Spirit of wine, however, is certainly by far 
the best, wh en it can be procured. 



62 

In the evening after this melancholy 
task was accomplished, the gale came on 
with violence from the south-west^ and 
continued that night and the succeeding 
day without any abatement. During this 
boisterous weather. Lord Nelson's Body 
remained under the charge of a sentinel on 
the middle deck. The cask was placed on 
its end, having a closed aperture at its top 
and another below; the object of which 
was, that as a frequent renewal of the spirit 
was thought necessary, the old could thus 
be drawn off below and a fresh quantity 
introduced above, without moving the cask, 
or occasioning the least agitation of the 
Body. On the 24th there was a disengage- 
ment of air from the Body to such a degree, 
that the sentinel became alarmed on see- 
ing the head of the cask raised : he there- 
fore applied to the Officers, who were un- 
der the necessity of having the cask spiled 
to give the air a discharge. After this, no 
considerable collection of air took place. 
The spirit was drawn off once, and the cask 
filled again, before the arrival of the Vic- 



63 

tory at Gibraltar (on the 28th of October) : 
where spirit of wine was procured; and the 
cask, shewing a deficit produced by the 
Body^'s absorbing a considerable quantity 
of the brandy 5 was then filled up with it. 

On the 29th the Victory's Seamen and 
Marines dangerously wounded in the action, 
were sent on shore to the naval hospital at 
Gibraltar. The interval between this day 
and the 2d of November was employed in 
repairing the damage sustained by the ship, 
erecting jury-masts, fitting her rigging, and 
completing her in every respect for the 
voyage to England. On the 2d of No- 
vember, preparations were made on board 
to receive the wounded from the hospital, 
who had unanimously entreated Captain 
Hardy not to leave them behind : but 
their embarkation could not be effected 
this day ; and the Victory being ordered to 
quit the anchorage in Gibraltar Bay, to 
make room for the disabled ships and 
prizes daily arriving, she sailed in the 
evening for Tetuan Bay, for the purpose 



64 

of taking on board a supply of fresh water, 
and there awaiting a favourable wind to 
pass the Straits. During the night, how- 
ever, and before the Victory gained the 
coast of Barbary, the wind, which had 
blown for several days from the west, 
shifted to the eastward, and a fresh breeze 
sprung up ; she in consequence changed her 
course, and stood back again for Gibral- 
tar, where she arrived early in the morn- 
ing. She then lay-to in the bay without 
anchoring, and the boats were immediately 
sent on shore for the wounded ; who were all 
brought off by noon, except five of the worst 
cases who could not with propriety be re- 
moved.^ In the afternoon the Victory and 
Bellisle sailed from Gibraltar Bay, and 

^ Of the Victory's wounded, three died before she 
reached Gibraltar, one on the day of her arrival there, 
and another at the naval hospital at that place a few 
days afterwards: all the rest got well on board except 
the five left at Gibraltar, and five others not perfectly 
recovered from their wounds in January following ; 
when the Victory being put out of commission at 
Chatham, they were sent to the Sussex hospital-ship 
at Sheerness. 



65 

passed through the Straits during the night 
of the 4th. The next day at noon they 
joined the squadron under the command of 
Admiral Colling wood, then cruizing off 
Cadiz; from which they parted company 
the same evening, and pursued their course 
together for England. 

When the Victory had proceeded some 
weeks on her voyage, adverse winds and 
tempestuous weather having prolonged the 
passage much beyond the period that is 
generally expected, it was thought proper 
to draw off the spirit from the cask con- 
taining Lord Nelson^s Body, and renew 
it ; and this was done twice. On these oc- 
casions brandy was used in the proportion 
of two-thirds to one of spirit of wine. 

At length the Victorj'^ arrived at Spit- 
head, after a tedious passage of nearly five 
weeks from Gibraltar: and as no instruc- 
tions respecting His Lordship's Remains 
were received at Portsmouth while the 
ship remained there, and orders being 
transmitted to Captain Hardy for her 



66 

to proceed to the Nore, the Surgeon repre- 
sented to him the necessity of examin- 
ing the state of the Body ; common re- 
port giving some reason to believe that it 
was intended to He in state at Greenwich 
Hospital, and to be exposed on the occasion 
to the view of the public. On the 11th of 
December, therefore, the day on which the 
Victory sailed from Spithead for the Nore, 
Lord Nelson's Body was taken from the 
cask in which it had been kept since the 
day after his death. On inspecting it exter- 
nally, it exhibited a state of perfect pre- 
servation, without being in the smallest de- 
gree offensive. There were, however, some 
appearances that induced the Surgeon to 
examine the condition of the bowels ; which 
were found to be much decayed, and likely 
in a short time to communicate the process 
of putrefaction to the rest of the Body : the 
parts already injured were therefore re- 
moved. It was at this time that the fatal 
ball was discovered : it had passed through 
the spine, and lodged in the muscles of the 



67 

back, towards the right side, and a httle 
below the shoulder-blade. A very consi- 
derable portion of the gold-lace, pad, and 
lining of the epaulette, with a piece of the 
coat, was found attached to the ball: the 
lace of the epaulette was as firmly so, as if 
it had been inserted into the metal while in 
a state of fusion/ 

The following is the professional Re- 
port on His Lordship's wound and death, 
made by the Surgeon on this occasion : 

" His Majesty's Ship Victory , at Sea, 
I \th December J IS05. 

" About the middle of the action with 
the Combined Fleets on the 21st of Octo- 
ber last, the late illustrious Commander in 
Chief Lord Nelson was mortally wound- 
ed in the left breast by a musket-ball, sup- 
posed to be fired from the mizen-top of La 
Redoutable French ship of the line, which 
the Victory fell on board of early in the 

' The ball was not fired from a rifle-piece. 



68 

battle. His Lordship was in the act of 
turning on the quarter-deck with his face 
towards the Enemy, when he received his 
wound: he instantly fell ; and was carried 
to the cockpit, where he lived about two 
hours.^ On being brought below, he com- 
plained of acute pain about the sixth or 
seventh dorsal vertebra, and of privation 
of sense and motion of the body and infe- 
rior extremities. His respiration was short 
and difficult; pulse weak, small, and irregu- 
lar. He frequently declared his back was 
shot through, that he felt ever}'^ instant a 
gush of blood within his breast, and that 
he had sensations which indicated to him 
the approach of death. In the course of 
an hour his pulse became indistinct, and 
was gradually lost in the arm. His extre- 
mities and forehead became soon after- 
wards cold. He retained his wonted 

8 It was not deemed necessary to insert in this Re- 
port the precise time which His Lordship survived his 
wound. This, as before stated, was in reality two hours 
and three Quarters. 



69 

energy of mind, and exercise of his facul- 
ties, till the last moment of his existence; 
and when the victory as signal as decisive 
was announced to him, he expressed his 
pious acknowledgments, and heart-felt sa- 
tisfaction at the glorious event, in the most 
emphatic language. He then delivered 
his last orders with his usual precision, and 
in a few minutes afterwards expired with- 
out a struggle. 

'^ Course and site of the Ball, as ascertained 

since death. 

" The ball struck the fore part of His 
Lordship's ej)aulette; and entered the left 
shoulder immediately before the processus 
acromion scapulee, which it slightly frac- 
tured. It then descended obliquely into 
the thorax, fracturing the second and third 
ribs : and after penetrating the left lobe of 
the lungs, and dividing in its passage a 
large branch of the pulmonary artery, it 
entered the left side of the spine between 
the sixth and seventh dorsal vertebra, frac- 



70 

tured the left transverse process of the sixth 
dorsal vertebra, wounded the medulla spi- 
nahs, and fracturing the right transverse 
process of the seventh vertebra, made its 
way from the right side of the spine, di- 
recting its course through the muscles of 
the back; and lodged therein, about two 
inches below the inferior angle of the right 
scapula. On removing the ball, a portion 
of the gold-lace and pad of the epaulette, 
together with a small piece of His Lord- 
SHJp's coat, was found firmly attached 
to it.^ 

" W. Beatty." 

9 Fig. 1. in the annexed Plate represents the Ball 
in the exact state in which it was extracted. Drawn by 
Mr. W. E. Devis, who was then on board the Victory. 

Fig. 2. (drawn also by Mr. Devis) shews the Ball 
in its present state ; as set in crystal by Mr. Yonge, and 
presented to the Writer of this Narrative by Sir Thomas 
Hardy. 

The Ball, in perforating the epaulette, passed 
through many of the silk cords supporting the 
bullions, and through the pad and a doubling of silk 
besides ; as the bag of the pad was composed of yellow 
silk. 



I'lCi J. . 



a Picc-c of tTio CoO't 

7> Tho Ball 

crcD ^re/suns in the Sail iy stnfanq cufains-t3criCy 




d/ Gol3 Lace ^xc-cl ztl tTi-e^SaZl 
& TjjCcc- (?/" tThey SvUc fyaxl 
ffJ.ace' of thj:Sn.llion/ 






Bn 2 



1* J 4t^ 












t 

/ 



CI 



. "> ^ 




,y^-j',,fj,^L.v>«lfc-. 



.J[ j£ ' -~ '^'-.^t 







^^ 







y 



^ 



Y'///^/y. 



Ti^.a^iho^ct clirecL- Try W. B en.tpf r:" ctT J 8 G 6 . 



^Q> 



71 

The Remains were wrapped in cotton 
vestments, and rolled from head to foot 
with bandages of the same material, in the 
ancient mode of embalming. The Body 
was then put into a leaden coffin, filled 
with brandy holding in solution camphor 
and myrrh/ This coffin was inclosed in a 
wooden one, and placed in the after-part 
of His Lordship's cabin; where it re- 
mained till the 21st of December, when 
an order was received from the Admiralty 
for the removal of the Body. The coffin 
that had been made from the mainmast 
of the French Commander's ship UOrient, 
and presented to His Lordship by his 
friend Captain Hollowell, after the battle 
of the Nile, being then received on board, 
the leaden coffin was opened, and the Body 
taken out ; when it was found still in most 
excellent condition, and completely plas- 

* The stock of spirit of wine on board was ex- 
hausted ; and from the sound state of the Body, brandy 
was judged sufficient for its preservation. 



tic. The features were somewhat tu- 
mid, from absorption of the spirit; but 
on using friction with a napkin, they 
resumed in a great degree their natural 
character. All the Officers of the ship, 
and several of His Lordship's friends, as 
well as some of Captain Hardy's, who 
had come on board the Victory that day 
from the shore, were present at the time 
of the Body's being removed from the 
leaden coffin ; and witnessed its undecay- 
ed state after a lapse of two months since 
death, which excited the surprise of all 
who beheld it. This was the last time 
the mortal part of the lamented Hero was 
seen by human eyes; as the Body, after 
being dressed in a shirt, stockings, uni- 
form small-clothes and waistcoat, neck- 
cloth, and night-cap, was then placed 
in the shell made from L'Orient's mast, and 
covered with the shrouding. This was in- 
closed in a leaden coffin ; which was sol- 
dered up immediately, and put into an- 
other wooden shell ; in which manner it 



73 

was sent out of the Victory into Com- 
missioner Gre Y^s yacht, which was brought 
alongside the ship for that purpose. In this 
vessel the Hero's Remains were conveyed 
to Greenwich Hospital, attended by the 
Reverend Dr. Scott, and Messrs. Tysojst 
and Whitby. 

Lord Nelson had often talked with 
Captain Hardy on the subject of his be- 
ing killed in battle, which appeared indeed 
to be a favourite topic of conversation with 
him. He was always prepared to lay down 
his life in the service of his Country ; and 
whenever it should please Providence to 
remove him from this world, it was the 
most ambitious wish of his soul to die in 
the fight, and in the very hour of a great 
and signal victory. In this he was grati- 
fied: his end was glorious; and he died 
as he had lived, one of the greatest among 
men. 

The following Prayer, found in His 
Lordship's memorandum-book, — and writ- 
ten with his own hand on the night of 



74 

his leaving Merton, at one of the places 
where he changed horses (supposed to be 
Guildford) on his way to join the Vic- 
tory at Portsmouth,— is highly illustrative 
of those sentiments of combined piety 
and patriotic heroism with which he was 
inspired : 

'*' Friday Night, 1 3th September. 

" Friday night, at half past ten, drove 
from dear, dear Merton, where I left all 
which I hold dear in the world, to go to 
serve my King and Country. May the 
great God whom I adore, enable me to 
fulfil the expectations of my Country I and 
if it is His good pleasure that I should 
return, my thanks will never cease being of- 
fered up to the throne of His mercy. But 
if it is His good providence to cut short 
my days upon earth, I bow with the great- 
est submission ; relying that he will protect 
those, so dear to me, that I may leave be- 
hind. His will be done! 

" Amen, amen, amen/' 



75 

His Lordship had on several occa- 
sions told Captain Hardy, that if he should 
fall in battle in a foreign climate, he wish- 
ed his body to be conveyed to England ; 
and that if his Country should think pro- 
per to inter him at the public expence, he 
wished to be buried in Saint Paul's, as well 
as that his monument should be erected 
there. He explained his reasons for pre- 
ferring Saint Paul's to Westminster Abbey, 
' which were rather curious : he said that 
he remembered hearing it stated as an old 
tradition when he was a boy, that West- 
minster Abbey was built on a spot where 
once existed a deep morass ; and he thought 
it likely that the lapse of time would re- 
duce the ground on which it now stands 
to its primitive state of a swamp, without 
leaving a trace of the Abbey. He added, 
that his own actual observations confirmed 
the probability of this event. He also repeat- 
ed to Captain Hardy several times dur- 
ing the last two years of his life: " Should 
I be killed, Hardy, and my Country 



76 

not bury me, you know what to do with 
me;'' meaning that his body was in that 
case to be laid by the side of his Fa- 
ther's, in his native village of Burnham 
Thorpe in Norfolk: and this, as has been 
before mentioned (in page 47) j he adverted 
to in his last moments. 
£ An opinion has been very generally en- 
tertained, that Lord Nelson's state of 
health and supposed infirmities, arising 
from his former wounds and hard services, 
precluded the probabinty of his long sur- 
viving the battle of Trafalgar, had he for- 
tunately escaped the Enemy's shot: but 
the Writer of this narrative can confidently 
assert that His Lordship's health was uni- 
formly good, with the exception of some 
slight attacks of indisposition arising from 
accidental causes; which never continued 
above two or three days, nor confined him 
in any degree with respect to either exercise 
or regimen:^ and during the last twelve 

^ These complaints were the consequence of in- 
digestion, brought on by casually writing for several 



77 

months of his hfe, he complained only three 
times in this way. It is true, that His 
Lordship, about the meridian of life, had 
been subject to frequent fits of the gout: 
which disease, however, as well as his con- 
stitutional tendency to it, he totally over- 
came by abstaining for the space of nearly 
two years from animal food, and wine and 
all other fermented drink; confining his 
diet to vegetables, and commonly milk and 
water. And it is also a fact, that early in 
life, when he first went to sea, he left off the 
use of salt, which he then believed to be 
the sole cause of scurvy, and never took it 
afterwards with his food. 

His Lordship used a great deal of 
exercise, generally walking on deck six or 
seven hours in the day. He always rose 
early, for the most part shortly after day- 
hours together. His Lordship had one of these 
attacks from that cause a few days before the battle, but 
on resuming his accustomed exercise he got rid of it. 
This attack alarmed him, as he attributed it to sudden 
and violent spasm ; but it was merely an unpleasant 
symptom (globus hystericus) attending indigestion, 



78 

break. He breakfasted in summer about 
six, and at seven in winter: and if not 
occupied in reading or writing dispatches, 
or examining into the details of the Fleet, he 
walked on the quarter-deck the greater part 
of the forenoon; going down to his cabin 
occasionally to commit to paper such inci- 
dents or reflections as occurred to him dur- 
ing that time, and as might be hereafter 
useful to the service of his country. He 
dined generally about half past two o'clock. 
At his table there were seldom less than 
eight or nine persons, consisting of the dif- 
ferent Officers of the ship : and when the 
weather and the service permitted, he very 
often had several of the Admirals and Cap- 
tains in the Fleet to dine with him ; who 
were mostly invited by signal, the rotation 
of seniority being commonly observed by 
His Lordship in these invitations. A- 
dinner he was alike affable and attentive 
to every one: he ate very sparingly him- 
self; the liver and wing of a fowl, and a 
small plate of macaroni, in general com- 



79 

posing his meal, during which he occasion- 
ally took a glass of Champagne. He never 
exceeded four glasses of wine after din- 
ner, and seldom drank three; and even 
these were diluted with water. 

Few men subject to the vicissitudes of 
a naval life, equalled His Lordship in 
such an habitual systematic mode of living. 
He possessed such a wonderful activity of 
mind, as even prevented him from taking 
ordinary repose, seldom enjoying two hours 
of uninterrupted sleep ; and on several oc- 
casions he did not quit the deck during the 
whole night. At these times he took no 
pains to protect himself from the effects of 
wet, or the night-air ; wearing only a thin 
great coat : and he has frequently, after 
having his clothes wet through with rain, 
refused to have them changed, saying that 
the leather waistcoat which he wore over 
his flannel one would secure him from com- 
plaint. He seldom wore boots, and was 
consequently very liable to have his feet 
wet. When this occurred he has often been 



80 

known to go down to his cabin, throw off 
his shoes, and walk on the carpet in his 
stockings for the purpose of drying the feet 
of them. He chose rather to adopt this 
uncomfortable expedient than to require 
his servant's personal assistance to put 
on dry stockings ; which, from his hav- 
ing only one hand, he could not himself 
conveniently effect. 

From all these circumstances it may be 
inferred, that though Lord Nelson's con- 
stitution was not of that kind which is 
generally denominated strong, yet it was 
not very susceptible of complaint from the 
common occasional causes of disease so in- 
cidental to a naval life. The only bodily 
pain which His Lordship felt in conse- 
quence of his many wounds, was a slight 
rheumatic affection of the stump of his am- 
putated arm on any sudden variation in the 
state of the weather; which is generally 
experienced by those who have the misfor- 
tune to lose a limb after the middle age. 
His Lordship usually predicted an altera- 






81 

tion in the weather with as mucli certainty 
from feeling transient pains in this stump, 
as he could by his marine barometer; from 
the indications of which latter he kept a 
diary of the atmospheric changes, which 
was written with his own hand. 
^ His Lordship had lost his right eye 
by a contusion which he received at the 
siege of Calvi, in the island of Corsica. The 
vision of the other was likewise consider- 
ably impaired : he always therefore wore a 
green shade over his forehead, to defend 
this eye from the effect of strong light; but 
as he was in the habit of looking much 
through a spy glass while on deck, there is 
little .doubt, that had he hved a few years 
longer, and continued at sea, he would have 
eventually become Wind/ 

The Surgeon hadj on the occasion of 
opening His Lordship's Body, an oppor- 
tunity of acquiring an accurate knowledge 
of the sound and healthy state of the 
thoracic and abdominal viscera, none of 
which appeared to have ever been the seat 

M' 



^r 



82 

of injflaiiimation or disease. There were no 
morbid indications to be seen; other than 
those unavoidably attending the human 
body six weeks after death, even under cir- 
cumstances more favourable to its preser- 
vation. The heart was small, and dense in 
its substance; its valves, pericardium, and 
the large vessels, were sound, and firm 
in their structure. The lungs were sound, 
and free from adhesions. The liver was 
very small, in its colour natural, firm in its 
texture, and every way free from the small- 
est appearance of disorganization. The 
stomach as well as the spleen and other 
abdominal contents/ was alike free from the 
traces of diseased/Indeed all the vital parts 
were so perfectly healthy in their appear- 
ance, and so small, that they resembled 
more those of a youth, than of a man who 
had attained his forty-seventh year ; which 
state of the body, associated with settled 
habits favourable to health, affords good 
reason to believe His Lordshil' mififht 
have lived to an advanced age. / 



83 

The immediate cause of His Lord- 
ship's death was a wound of the left puhno- 
nary artery, which poured out its blood / 
into the cavit}^ of the chest. The quantity 
of blood thus effused did not appear to be 
very great: but as the hemorrhage was 
from a vessel so near the heart, and the 
blood was consequently lost in a very short 
time, it produced death sooner than would 
have been effected by a larger quantity of 
blood lost from an artery in a more remote 
part of the body. The injury done to the 
spine must of itself have proved mortal, 
but His Lordship might perhaps have 
survived this alone for two or three days ; 
though his existence protracted even for 
that short period would have been miserable 
to himself, and highly distressing to the feel- 
ings of all around him. 

W. Beatty. 



V 



84 



- H. M. S. VICTORY. 



•* October Q.\st, 1805. In sight of the Combined 
Fleets of France and Spain, distant about ten miles. 

" ^'\ HERE AS the eminent services of 
Emma Hamilton, widow of the Right 
Honourable Sir William Hamilton, 
have been of the greatest service to my 
King and Country, to my knowledge, 
without ever receiving any reward from 
either our King or Country : 

" First, that slie obtained the King of 
Spain's letter, in 1796, to his brother the 
King of Naples, acquainting him of his 
intention to declare war against England ; 
from which letter the ministry sent out or- 
ders to the then Sir John Jervis, to strike 
a stroke, if opportunity offered, against 
either the arsenals of Spain or her fleets :~ 
that neither of these was done, is not the 
fault of Lady Hamilton ; the opportunity 
might have been offered :^ 

^ This phrase has been subjected to misconstruc- 
tion ; to the Writer of these pages, however, both the 



85 

" Secondly: the British Fleet under 
my command could never have returned 
the second time to Egypt, had not Lady 
Hamilton's influence with the Queen 
of Naples caused letters to be wrote to 
the Governor of Syracuse, that he was to 
encourage the Fleet's being supplied with 
every thing, should they put into any port 
in Sicily. We put into Syracuse, and re- 
ceived every supply ; went to Egypt, and 
destroyed the French Fleet : 

" Could I have rewarded these ser- 
vices, I would not now call upon my Coun- 
try ; but as that has not been in my power, 
I leave Emma Lady Hamilton therefore 
a legacy to my King and Country, that 
they will give her an ample provision to 
maintain her rank in life. 

** I also leave to the beneficence of my 
Country my adopted Daughter, Hohatia 
Nelson Thompson ; and I desire she will 
use in future the name of Nelson only. 

purport and expression of it seem very clear, thus : 
** might have been offered," (though it was not). 



86 

" These are the only favours I ask of 
my King and Country, at this moment 
when I am going to fight their battle. 
May God bless my King and Country, and 
all those I hold dear ! My Relations it is 
needless to mention : they will of course be 
amply provided for. 

" Nelson and Bronte. 



" Witness' ^^'^^^ " 



S Henry Black 
T. M. Hardy." 



APPENDIX. 



sp 



INSTRUCTIONS 

Issued by Lord Nelson to the Admirals and 
Captains of his Fleet, se'oeral days previous to 
the Battle^ 



Victory, off Cadiz, lOtli October, 1805. 

General Memorandum sent to the Commanders 

of Ships, 

Thinking it almost impossible to bring a Fleet 
of forty sail of the line into a line of battle in 
variable winds, thick weather, and other circum- 
stances which must occur, without such a loss of 
time that the opportunity would probably be 
lost of bringing the Enemy to battle in such a 
manner as to make the business decisive, I have 
therefore made up my mind to keep the Fleet in 
that position of sailing, with the exception of 
the First and Second in Command, that the or- 
der of sailing is to be the order of battle : plac- 
ing the Fleet in two lines, of sixteen ships each, 
with an advanced squadron of eight of the fast- 

n 



90 

est-sailing two-decked ships; which will always 
make, if wanted, a line of twenty-four sail, on 
whichever line the Commander in Chief may 
direct. 

The Second in Command will, after my in- 
tentions are made known to him, have the entire 
direction of his line ; to make the attack upon 
the Enemy, and to follow up the blow until they 
are captured or destroyed. 

If the Enemy's Fleet should be seen to wind- 
ward in line of battle, and that the two lines and 
advanced squadron could fetch them, they will 
probably be so extended that their van could 
not succour their rear : I should therefore pro- 
bably make the Second in Command's signal 
to lead through about their twelfth ship from 
their rear ; or wherever he could fetch, if not able 
to get so far advanced. My line would lead 
through about their centre : and the advanced 
squadron to cut three or four ships ahead of their 
centre, so as to ensure getting at their Commander 
in Chief, on vv^liom every effort must be made to 
capture. 

The whole impression of the British Fleet 
mu^ be, to overpower from two or three ships 
ahead of their Commander in Chief (sup- 



J 



91 

posed to be in the centre) to the rear of their 

Fleet. 

I WILL suppose twenty sail of the Enemy's 
line to be untouched: it must be some time be- 
fore they could perform a manoeuvre to bring 
their force compact to attack any part of the 
British Fleet engaged, or to succour their own 
ships; which indeed would be impossible, with- 
out mixing with the ships engaged. The Ene- 
my's Fleet is supposed to consist of forty-six sail 
of the line; British, forty:' if either is less, only a 
proportional number of enemy's ships are to be 
cutoff; British to be one-fourth superior to the 

Enemy cut off. 

Something must be left to chance: nothing 
is sure in a sea-fight, beyond all others; shot will 
carry away masts and yards of friends as well as 
foes: but I look with confidence to a victoij 
before the van of the Enemy could succour their 
rear; and then that the British Fleet would 
most of them be ready to receive their twenty 
sail of the line, or to pursue them should they 
endeavour to make off. 

1 With such an inferiority of force as this His LoRDSHiP 
confidently expected not only to gain a decisive victory, 
but (to use his own favourite phrase) " completely to anm. 
hilate the Enemi/s Fleet ?" 



92 

If the van of the Enemy tack, the captured 
ships must run to leeward of the British Fleet : 
if the Enemy wear, the British must place them- 
selves between the Enemy and captured, and 
disabled British ships: and should the Enemy 
close, I have no fear for the result. 

The Second in Command will, in all possible 
things, direct the movements of his line, by keep- 
ing them so compact as the nature of the circum- 
stances wall admit. Captains are to look to their 
particular line as their rallying point; but in 
case signals cannot be seen or clearly under- 
stood, no Captain can do very wrong if he places 
his ship alongside that of an Enemy. 

Plan of the intended attack from to-wind- 
ward, the Enemy in Hne of battle ready to receive 
an attack: 



Advanced squadron. 
W^eatheiline. 



. ' British, 
" Lee line. 



Enemy's line. 



The divisions of the British Fleet will be brought 
nearly within gun-shot of the Enemy's centre. 
The signal will be made for the lee line to bear 
up together ; to set all their sail^ even studding 



9S 

sails, in order to get as quickly as possible to the 
Enemy's line ; and to cut through, beginning 
from the twelfth ship from the Enemy's rear. 
Some ships may not get through their exact 
place, but they will always be at hand to as- 
sist their friends. If any are thrown in the rear 
of the Enemy, they will effectually complete the 
business of twelve sail of the Enemy. 

Should the Enemy wear together, or bear up 
and sail large, still the twelve ships composing 
in the first position the Enemy's rear, are to 
be the object of attack of the lee line, unless 
otherwise directed by the Commander in Chief: 
which is scarcely to be expected ; as the entire 
management of the lee line, after the intentions 
of the Commander in Chief are signified, is in- 
tended to be left to the Admiral commanding 
that line. 

The remainder of the Enemy's Fleet, thirty- 
four sail, are to be left to the management of the 
Commander in Chief; who will endeavour to 
take care that the movements of the Second in 
Command are as little interrupted as possible. 

NELSON AND BRONTE • 

By Command of the Vice- Admiral. 

John Scott. 



95 



The following interesting Extracts are accurately 
copied from His Lordship's Memorandum Book, 
written entirely with his own hand^ and may be 
also seen at Doctors^ Commons* 



Saturday, September 14th, 1805. At six 
o'clock arrived at Portsmouth ; and having ar- 
ranged all my business, embarked at the bathing- 
machines with Mr. Rose and Mr. Canning, vfho 
dined with me. At two got on board the Victory, 
at St. Helen's. 

Wednesday, Sept. 25, J 805. Light airs 
southerly. Saw the rock of Lisbon S. S. E. 
ten leagues. At sunset the Captain of the Con- 
stance came on board, and sent my letters for 
England to Lisbon, and wrote to Captain Sut- 
tON*^ and the Consul. The Enemy's Fleet had 
not left Cadiz the 18th of this month, therefore 
I yet hope they will wait my arrival. 

Saturday, Sept. 28th, 1805. Fresh breezes 
at N. N. W. At day-light bore up, and made 

'^ Of his Majesty's ship Amphlon, then in the Tac>-us. 



96- 

sail. At nine saw the iEtna cruising. At 
noon saw eighteen sail. Nearly calm. In the 
evening joined the Fleet under Vice-Admiral 
CoLLiNGWOOD. Saw the Enemy's Fleet in 
Cadiz^ amounting to thirty-five or thirty-six sail 
of the line. 

Sunday, Sept. 29th. Fine weather. Gave 
out the necessary orders for the Fleet. Sent 
Euryalus to watch the Enemy with the Hydra off 
Cadiz. 

Wednesday, October 9th. Fresh breezes 
easterly. Received an account from Blackwood, 
that the French ships had all bent their top- 
gallant-sails. Sent the Pickle to him, with or- 
ders to keep a good look-out. Sent Admiral 
CoLLiNGwooD the Nelson truth.^ At night wind 
westerly. 

Monday, Oct. 14th. Fine weather : west- 
erly wind. Sent Amphion to Gibraltar and 
Algiers. Enemy at the harbour's n«)uth.. 
Placed Defence and Agamemnon from seven 
to ten leagues west of Cadiz ; and Mars and 
Colossus five leagues east of the Fleet, whose 

^ It is presumed that His Lordship here meant the pre- 
ceding Instructions, which were transmitted the next day to 
the whole Fleet. 



97 

station is from fifteen to twenty west of Cadiz : 
and by this chain I hope to have a constant 
communication with the frigates off Cadiz. 

Wedndsday^ Oct. l6th. Moderate breezes 
westerly. All the forenoon employed form- 
ing the Fleet into the order of sailing. At noon 
fresh breezes W. S. W. and squally. In the 
evening fresh gales. The Enemy as before, by 
signal from Weazle. 

Thursday, Oct. 17th. Moderate breezes 
north-westerly. Sent the Donegal to Gibraltar, 
to get a ground-tier of casks. Received accounts 
by the Diligent storeship, that Sir Richard 
Strachan was supposed in sight of the French 
Rochefort squadron ; which I hope is true. 

Friday, Oct. 18th. Fine weather : wmd east- 
erly. The Combined Fleets cannot have finer 
w eather to put to sea. 

Saturday, Oct. 19th. Fine weather : wind 
easterly. At half-past nine the Mars, being one 
of the look-out ships, made the signal that the 
Enemy were coming out of port. Made the 
signal for a general chace S. E. Wind at south ; 
Cadiz bearing E.S.E. by compass, distance six- 
teen leagues. At three the Colossus made the 
signal that the Enemy's Fleet was at sea. In 

o 



98 

the evening made the signal to observe my mo- 
tions during the night ; for the Britannia, Prince, 
and Dreadnought, to take stations as most con- 
venient ; and for Mars, Orion, Belleisle, Levi- 
athan, , Bellerophon, and Polyphemus, to go 
ahead during the night, and to carry a light, 
standing for the Straits' mouth. 

Sunday, Oct. 29th. Fresh breezes S. S.W., 
and rainy. Communicated with Phoebe, De- 
fence, and Colossus, who saw near forty sail 
of ships of war outside of Cadiz yesterday even- 
ing ; but the wind being southerly, they could 
not get to the mouth of the Straits. We were 
between Trafalgar and Cape Spartel. The fri- 
gates made the signal that they saw nine sail 
outside the harbour. Sent the frigates instruc- 
tions for their guidance ; and placed the Defence, 
Colossus, and Mars, between me and the frigates. 
At noon fresh gales, and heavy rain : Cadiz N. E. 
nine leagues. In the afternoon Captain Black- 
wood telegraphed that the Enemy seemed deter- 
mined to go to the westward ; — and that they 
shall 7iot do, if in the power of Nelson and 
Bronte to prevent them. At five telegraphed 
Captain Blackwood, that I relied lipon his 
keeping sight of the Enemy. At ^yQ o'clock 



99 

Naiad made the signal for thirty-one sail of the 
Enemy N. N. E. The frigates and look-out ship 
kept sight of the Enemy most admirably all the 
night, and told me by signal which tack they 
were upon. At eight we wore, and stood to the 
S. VV. ; and at four wore and stood to the N. E. 

Monday, Oct. 21st. At day-light saw Ene« 
my's Combined Fleets from east to E. S. E. 
Bore away. Made the signal for order of sailing, 
and to prepare for battle. The Enemy with their 
heads to the southward. At seven the Enemy 
wearing in succession. 



THE END. 



L.ot C. 



Directions to the Binder for placing the Plates. 

Portrait of Lord Nelson to face the Title. 
Representation of the Ball to face page 70. 



ERRATUM. 

Page 1, line 8, for ' Thunder,' read ' Thunderer.' 



T. White, Printer, 
2, Johnson's-court, Fleet-street. 



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